Magpie Attack!

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HunBun

HunBun

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So the pigs were outside in the run eating grass. Screaming squeaks for help were heard so went to investigate and two magpies were running around the run poking their beaks through trying to get at the pigs! They flew away when they saw me.
Unfortunately they managed to grab hold of several chunks of my peruvian's fur and pull it out!
My Aby was the one screaming for help but she seems unharmed . My peruvian isn't the brightest of piggies so didn't seem to have the sense to run into the middle like my clever aby where they could not reach her, so several chunks of fur have been pulled out :(
I believe this has happened before as I have found chunks of fur just outside the run but couldn't work out why :(
They hadn't been in the run for long so I had not yet placed a box in there for them to hide in.

I had no problem with magpies before but now I hate them :rant: Feel like turning them into REAL pies!

Has anyone else had issues with magpies?
 
Yes we have magpies and seagulls often around as my next door neighbour feeds them :(

I have to watch even when my rabbits or small dog are out as they often swoop down to try to get them.

I do not wish to upset anyone but there was a news story recently where a small dog was attacked while out in the back garden of the home owner by a seagull and it was killed. The owner has other small dogs so asked the council for help to get rid of them. However because they are protected nothing can be done and the owner is no longer able to let her own dogs in her own back yard without someone being there to watch over them. I realise seagulls are bigger than magpies but I would still be very careful if they are about.

I am always out the back scaring them away but of course they keep coming back because of the food put out for them!
 
Good job your Aby raised the alarm! I hate Magpies too! However, they haven't done anything to harm my guinea pigs . We have crows visit our garden and I have seen them take frogs and tadpoles from our pond.

What sort of run do you have ? Could you add an extra side - or some sort of trim around it to stop beaks getting in ?
 
I've had to peg old duvet covers round the side of my run as we have had an abundance of crow types sizing up the run when there are piggies out in it. Blooming vermin!
 
l am so sorry to here about the horibale experance your pigs had with Magpies
The problem with magpies is that they seem to remember things a lot longer than
most other birds,
lt may be an idea to rethink your security!

Once again l am so sorry , your poor pigs must have been terifed .
After you have secured your runs l would have a cup of warm tea, as
you must be in shock your self :hug:
 
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:D My God, those damn birds! I myself have never had a problem with birds trying to attack the piggies in their runs. That may be because I don't put them outside unless I can stay and watch over them. My problem is cats. I am surrounded by them! One of my neighbour's young cats tried to chase the pigs in the run last week. I had to shoo it away with a broom. I now keep an old washing up liquid bottle filled with water handy to squirt cats with!

@Caron's Cavies , I don't think seagulls are protected. If anything, they are becoming a pest.
 
7squeakers. said:
:D My God, those damn birds! I myself have never had a problem with birds trying to attack the piggies in their runs. That may be because I don't put them outside unless I can stay and watch over them. My problem is cats. I am surrounded by them! One of my neighbour's young cats tried to chase the pigs in the run last week. I had to shoo it away with a broom. I now keep an old washing up liquid bottle filled with water handy to squirt cats with!

@Caron's Cavies , I don't think seagulls are protected. If anything, they are becoming a pest.
Click to expand...


Seagulls are protected.

Gulls and the law

I love the idea of having a loaded washing up liquid bottle handy and ready to fire !
 
lt makes me wonder how much harm birds can actualy be. even sparrows

if l am not mistaken birds eat stones and gravil to help digest there food , making there
poos very alcaline,

Bird poos on grass , pig eats grass,
possibal resapie for bladder isuse
 
Caron's Cavies said:
Yes we have magpies and seagulls often around as my next door neighbour feeds them :(

I have to watch even when my rabbits or small dog are out as they often swoop down to try to get them.

I do not wish to upset anyone but there was a news story recently where a small dog was attacked while out in the back garden of the home owner by a seagull and it was killed. The owner has other small dogs so asked the council for help to get rid of them. However because they are protected nothing can be done and the owner is no longer able to let her own dogs in her own back yard without someone being there to watch over them. I realise seagulls are bigger than magpies but I would still be very careful if they are about.

I am always out the back scaring them away but of course they keep coming back because of the food put out for them!
Click to expand...

I saw that story about the poor little dog who was killed :( it was really sad :(

PiggyOwner said:
Good job your Aby raised the alarm! I hate Magpies too! However, they haven't done anything to harm my guinea pigs . We have crows visit our garden and I have seen them take frogs and tadpoles from our pond.

What sort of run do you have ? Could you add an extra side - or some sort of trim around it to stop beaks getting in ?
Click to expand...

I know! She did the right thing :lol:
My run was home made by my grandfather. It is a large wooden cube structure with metal square bars. The metal is quite strong as he used it to make his parrot aviaries too, the parrots can't bite through it.
Adding some wooden panels at the side may fix the problem of their beaks getting in.

7squeakers. said:
:D My God, those damn birds! I myself have never had a problem with birds trying to attack the piggies in their runs. That may be because I don't put them outside unless I can stay and watch over them. My problem is cats. I am surrounded by them! One of my neighbour's young cats tried to chase the pigs in the run last week. I had to shoo it away with a broom. I now keep an old washing up liquid bottle filled with water handy to squirt cats with!

@Caron's Cavies , I don't think seagulls are protected. If anything, they are becoming a pest.
Click to expand...

Ha! That washing up bottle sounds useful :lol:
When I lived in Derbyshire I had a problem with cats too! They'd stalk up to the pigs in the run. One even climbed on top of the run and poked its paw through trying to swipe at them, couldn't reach luckily. I had to go out and chase the cats away. Luckily I had robins (who didn't mind the pigs) nesting in my garden that caused a big fuss whenever a cat was near so I could go out and chase the cat away when I heard them chirping.
 
whashing up bottles half filled with water sounds like a good idea :lose:
 
If the metal mesh is fitted inside the wooden frames on the run, could you use a 1cmx1cm holed 19g mesh on the outside of the frames as a double protection type thing? Hopefully the gap between the two meshes and the small size of the mesh would stop them being able to reach through.
 
hi , that sounds simular to the way mine is , and to date (fingers crossed) l have had no problems
 
:D I used to have a run that was made up of four metal grids but only had a nylon mesh net top which hooked over the sides. Looked out of the window one day to find a cat trampoline-ing on the nylon mesh, trying to get at the piggies inside! I stopped using that run and got one with a more substantial top.
I used to have a wooden one with thin wire mesh sides when I had a rabbit years ago. Caught a cat trying to get at my bun in the run, one day. My poor bun had bent the mesh sides outwards trying to run away from this cat.
The runs I have now are secure regards cats, dogs and big birds but probably not stoats or ferrets. So far, thankfully, only had a stoat in my garden once. But nowadays I don't put my piggies outside unless I can be there to watch over them, as I have said before.
 
Hi all! I've just joined the forum because I was researching magpies attacking guinea pigs. I think one of mine was attacked this afternoon.
We have a very small & secure garden, but I have seen magpies fly in before & ther was one that approached the guinea pig run, so I chased it away.
Our piggie Dolly was out in her run today & both my husband & I were about. When I next looked in the garden the little plastic house she has to hide in was upside down. Fortunately it has a floor attached to it, so she was still able to hide in it. I went out to see her & she has a big chunk of fur out of the top of her head, not far from her eye. I'm sure that she's been pecked through the wire!
Has anyone experienced similar?

Thanks,
Clare
 
Hi Clare,Welcome to the forum. I am pleased Dolly is okay, poor little thing. Must have been very scary :(
 
Hi there! Thanks, it was. She squealed when I picked her up, too, think she was very scared. i've put some small animal antiseptic cream on the baldy bit :-( I'm sure she'll be ok, but don't want to put her out again, which is a shame as she loves eating the grass.
 
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